


the void

by loki_of_jotunheim



Category: Alex Rider - Anthony Horowitz
Genre: (stolen from the discord by someone else, Alex Rider's Dark-Cember, Attempt At Psychological Horror, Not A Happy Ending, Torture, a little bit, i cant remember who coined it exactly but it WASNT ME), like...not graphic but not not graphic, major angst, val or zy or lupin or hella probably
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:54:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28132743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loki_of_jotunheim/pseuds/loki_of_jotunheim
Summary: Alex thought he couldn't lose anymore, but it turns out that rock bottom opens to a vast expanse.This started wayy back near when Trigger was published, influenced in great measure by Valak's work, and also served as an attempt at trying my hand at more psychological horror-esque stuff (somewhat influenced by reading  the various AR horrorish fics). It....went less psychological horror and more angsty.When I say major character death, I do mean that. I mean *multiple* major character deaths. I repeat, this DOES NOT HAVE a happy ending.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	the void

**Author's Note:**

> So my original intent was literally just to take a more psychological edge on this - Alex starts having hallucinations and stuff of the sort due to the trauma finally just taking it's toll on him, but....it spiraled. And now we have this. Oops. 
> 
> I'm serious about the warning and the tags and stuff. This is not a happy fic.

Alex was still exhausted. 

It had been over two weeks since he’d come home (he was fifteen now) and he still woke up with tiredness clinging to him like a particularly stubborn blanket. Jack was casting worried glances at him as he got ready for school.

He didn’t know why he was tired. It was beginning to worry him, and he resolved to bring it up with Jack if it was still a problem in a couple of weeks. 

He didn’t get the chance, because SCORPIA reared it’s ugly head again, and he was left kneeling in a desert outside a burned shell of a car.

Alex blinked as he saw the classroom come back into focus around him. Sabrina was thankfully oblivious to his zoning out, and he turned his attention back to the lesson. They were still going over the homework from last night in Math and Alex resumed following back along with the teacher. 

Something flickered in the corner of his eye and he turned his head to look at it. Nothing came into view and he frowned before looking back up to the front. It happened again a few moments later and he turned again to see nothing. 

After it had happened a third time, Alex was growing annoyed. There was nothing there and it was distracting him. He glanced at the windows, but the windows had blinds over them, so it wasn’t anything from outside (like the sniper. Alex suppressed a shudder.)

Alex forced himself to take a few deep breaths to calm his suddenly racing heart. He was in America, an ocean away from MI6 and an entire country from the headquarters of the CIA. That part of his life was over, done with. 

Alex saw the SUV in the driveway of the Pleasures home and froze. 

“He’s where?” Bryne said, flabbergasted, into the phone. “Alrig -  _ no _ , don’t do that, that’ll probably make this whole situation worse. I’m coming there. He already thinks we’re trying to recruit him again.”

Byrne set the phone down deliberately softly and let out a long sigh. This was a mess. 

Alex wasn’t quite sure how he got to the airport, but he was there now and he was staring at the sign for the entrance. He had no money, no plan, no idea where to go. 

For all he knew, the SUV had been a friend. It wasn’t necessarily the CIA. He was lying to himself, though - the gut feeling that had saved his life more than once had been there. 

“I’m supposed to tell you from Byrne that we handled that badly, and we’re not here to send you off.” The woman to his right, who he hadn’t even noticed walk up (some spy  _ he _ was, and he viciously reminded himself no, no he wasn’t, not anymore), said. She glanced at him with a small smile, but was clearly puzzled. “Even though I’m not entirely sure what that last part means. I hope that makes sense to you.”

“It...does.” Alex replied, after catching his breath again from the startle. “Sorry, um. I’m Alex.” 

“Agent Patricia.” the agent said. “But you can call me Patrica. I’m only here in an agent capacity to make sure you’re okay. Bryne was worried about you. Gotta admit, I am too.”

“...thanks.” Alex said, a little thrown. They’d been worried about him? 

Or at least pretended to be? That was more than MI6 had ever done. 

Alex gave up trying to figure it out. He’d find out one way or the other. 

“Alex!” Sabrina englufed him in a hug when he stepped foot back at the Plea- at home. “We were so worried. Are you okay?” 

“I’m okay, Sab.” Alex reassured her. “Sorry about...that.”

“Your reaction is understandable,” Edward reassured him, leaning against the counter. “We’re not upset.” 

“They should have called.” Sabrina added, flicking an annoyed glance at the man hovering near the couch. Byrne, Alex realized. 

“We should have.” Byrne agreed. “If anything like this happens again in the future, I will. Firstly - no, we’re not going to snatch you away or tell you to do anything.” Alex nodded, not quite sure if he could believe him yet. “Unfortunately, it seems that the remnants of SCORPIA are trying to muster some attempt at getting back at you. So as a precaution, I’d like to ask if you would be alright with moving to a safe house - all of you. Your pay for the time missed would be included and school work would be continued.” He added to Edward. 

“Just moving?” Edward clarified. “No making Alex risk his life, again?” 

“Alex would remain in school and as a student, not doing anything for us.” Byrne confirmed. “I intend to keep the promise I made to Alex.” 

“Would you mind if we took a moment to talk about this?” Edward asked. Byrne shook his head. Alex followed Edward into his office with Sabrina. 

“Alex, what do you think?” Edward asked quietly. “Do you want to do this?” Alex hesitated. 

“I...want you to be protected,” Alex said slowly. “And I...think Byrne is telling the truth but it’s hard to trust him. But If SCORPIA’s active again, I don’t want you unprotected.” Alex was silent for a minute. “Yes. What do you think?”

“I agree with what you said.” Edward gave him a reassuring smile. “It’s not a bad idea in total, as long as they leave you alone. Sabrina?” 

“I agree with both of you.” Sabrina said firmly. 

“Is everything packed?” Patrica, the agent from the airport, asked everyone gathered in the living room. “Good. Alright, Alex, Edward, Sabrina, you’re with Byrne and I. Your stuff’ll be in the car behind. It should take about 16 hours to drive to the safehouse. There will be internet access, but make sure you remember the guidelines we gave you.” Alex nodded.

So far, it did really seem like a protection detail. True to his word, the only thing Alex had been asked to do was pack and read the same things Sabrina and Edward had been given. It was a striking contrast to past events. 

The ride was, true to Patrica’s word, about 16 hours. Alex watched the scenery as San Fransico faded in the background, then through Sacramento, Reno and a lot of smaller other towns Alex didn’t bother to remember the names of. They passed the state line for Utah and some point after, Alex fell asleep. He woke up again as they passed through Salt Lake City and joined Sabrina in watching the buildings pass and they made a game of the number of hotels they could spot. 

They left the city behind and went north. Alex saw signs for Waterfowl something or other and a state park and wondered if they’d be staying in a treehouse. That would be something. 

The convoy (of three) turned onto Anton Island Road and headed to the toll both. About 2 miles down the road, they stopped and pulled onto the shoulder. 

“There’s a boat waiting just under,” Patrica explained, getting out of the car. They were the only people on the bridge. “We’re taking the boat to the safehouse. The sand’ll feel wet but you won’t sink. Edward, you go first, then Sabrina, then Alex.” 

After a couple of the other agents had gone down, Edward steadily climbed down the ladder hanging from the bridge and onto the sand below and waved at them when he was clear. Sabrina was lowered next and then it was Alex. He clung tightly to the ladder as he climbed down, and soon he was standing on the sand with the rest of them. Six agents remained with the SUV’s to take them elsewhere. 

“This is kind of nice!” Sabrina shouted over the sound of the wind. “Almost like a vacation.”

“Almost, yeah.” Alex agreed and he couldn’t help but smile. He actually did feel somewhat relaxed about all of this and for now, he’d take it. 

“We have fishing gear at the house, as well as snorkeling gear. Don't go too far out, but 25 feet out from the shoreline shouldn't be too far." Patrica shouted as they neared the dock. The house was decently sized and had a gate surrounding the majority of it. Alex took it in as the agent at the wheel maneuvered the bot into the dock and the ties were attached. 

Next to him, Sabrina was gathering her things and swung them onto the dock carefully when indicated to do so. She took the agent's hand and was pulled up onto the deck. Alex followed a moment after, and the group made its way into the house.

Alex didn't fully relax until the house had been checked for bugs again and the sweep had been declared clean. Sabrina, probably unconsciously reading his mood, seemed to do the same. The two finally were able to collapse onto the couches in the living room after a little while, and despite the early hour, fell asleep quickly.

Alex woke up, and something was wrong. 

The sun was far higher than it should have been. The house was two quiet. 

Sabrina was missing.

Alex bolted off the couch and skidded to Sabrina's room which appeared untouched from when they had arrived. The older Pleasures room was the same, and so was the agents. 

"Sabrina?" Alex yelled, sprinting down the stairs and into the dining room. "Sabrina? Patrica?"

There wasn't an answer. Alex's mind was racing with fear as he skidded to a stop in the kitchen but screeched to a halt as his eyes lay on the body on the floor. 

"No." He whispered. Liz Pleasure lay prone, as if asleep, but Alex confirmed with shaking hands she had been killed from behind. There wasn't blood, but Alex could see the same dart sticking from her neck. 

He found Edward Pleasure in similar condition on the porch. It was a sick trail of bodies to the edge of the forest, and Alex's terror and shameful relief grew as he didn't see Sabrina's yet. 

He stepped into the forest and froze. Sabrina was laying across the center of a clearing, eyes closed. They'd killed her when she was asleep, and the telltale dart was sticking from her neck when he looked closer. 

Footsteps to his right made him whirl around and scramble towards the clearing. A man approached empty-handed, but that didn't mean anything. The man smiled cruelly at Alex's harsh pants and wide eyes. 

"Did you think we wouldn't find you?" He asked silkily. "Scorpia never forgive, and we  _ never _ forget. If you had caused even slightly less trouble, I might be gracious enough to leave you unharmed."

Unharmed, not alive. 

"No." Alex whispered. The man continued approaching. "No!" 

"Little Alex, you'll beg for death by the time I'm finished with you." Alex found his back against a tree and the man struck like a viper. He was unable to flee, or do anything that would free him from the hell he was about to enter. "Maybe I'll take pity and grant you that."

Alex opened his mouth but was cut off with a scream instead as his right knee exploded in pain. The rope cut into his chest but was disregarded a moment later as he lost his other knee. 

"Please." Alex half-begged. "Don't -" 

"I'm just getting started." The man said quietly, the picture of utter calm. 

Alex wasn't sure if he was dreaming or awake when he managed to open his eyes again some time later. Sabrina's body was straight in his field of vision and he yelped as his involentary jerk jostled everything. 

The man from earlier was sitting on a log a few feet away and glanced over at Alex at the sound.

"You will never go back to MI6." The man sounded like he was reading from a textbook. "You are useless to them. You are useless to a lot of people, as a matter of fact." 

Alex didn't reply. It was too much energy and he was exhausted. 

"You could go back, try and live a normal life." The man suggested. "Or I could put you out of your misery here. Like a dog with rabies, perhaps." The man stood up suddenly and Alex was reminded of Yassen. He suddenly missed the man fiercely and Jack and Smithers and -

"Would you like that, Alex?" The man smiled again, almost kindly. 

The agents found the trail of bodies almost a week later. They had sent out a team as soon as the first check-in had been missed. The darts were taken for analysis and the house swept once more. 

An aborted scream sounded from the forest and the team leader - James - rushed to the clearing, gun drawn. The junior agent, who had just started a few months ago was backed against a tree, hand over his mouth. He vomited a second later, and James turned to the center of the clearing a moment later and instantly understood why. 

Sabrina was curled in the middle of the clearing, and the only sign she was dead were the flies buzzing about. James turned to the left ever so slightly and saw the figure that had been at the center of this whole affair.

Alex Rider stared sightlessly at them, a bloody hole at the center of his chest. He had clearly suffered before his murder and James realized his knees had been shot out. 

On a closer examination of the poor kid's face, there was a slight upturn to his lips and James promptly lost control over his own stomach. 

Who did enough to a kid to make him long for death? 

James picked up the silver scorpion laying on Alex's lap and understood. 

**Author's Note:**

> i apologize for the pain/sadness/whatever i might have done to you if it hurt but i don't regret this fic's existance.


End file.
